Byline

Kerala emerges most-searched Indian travel destination

2012-12-15T01:54:00.002-08:00

By Jisha Surya | ENS - THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

15th December 2012 12:19 PM

It’s neither the serene beaches of Goa nor Paradise on Earth, Kashmir, that lured domestic tourists this year. Three cheers to God’s Own Country; Kerala is the ‘top trending’ travel destination, according to Google Zeitgeist for India in 2012.

Interestingly, Google’s year-end search report for India also features Munnar in the ninth position in the list of travel destinations. The search trend among Indian users featuring ‘Kerala’ and ‘Munnar’ is an indicator of growing interest of domestic tourists towards the state.

Google terms ‘trending topics’ as search queries which have highest amount of traffic over a sustained period in 2012 as compared to 2011.

Kashmir is in the fifth position, while Goa has not found a place in the top 10. ‘Kerala’ is followed by Taj Mahal, the monument of love. Wagah Border, the lone road border-crossing between Pakistan and India, is in the third position, followed by Vaishno Devi temple and Amarnath. Shirdi, Rameswaram temple hold seventh and eighth position. Gateway of India is in the 10th position. Among the trending searches, IBPS, which conducts recruitment for 19 banks, tops the list. Porn actor Sunny Leone, who made debut appearance in Bollywood this year, was the most searched personality in Google. Google Zeitgeist has list of top searched words, people, movies, cities, local places, news and travel destinations.

In the global list, Whitney Houston tops the list as her accidental drowning shocked many. Hurricane Sandy, which had devastating effects on the US, was another top searched event.

‘Start Up Coffee’ getting bigger

2012-12-14T22:34:00.000-08:00

A lot can happen over coffee. It seems there are more followers to this tagline. ‘Start Up Coffee’, a regular meeting of wannabe entrepreneurs, incubators and like-minded people, launched by My Next Big Idea (MNBI), a technology business incubator focused on mobile and web businesses, is getting bigger. The fourth Start Up Coffee will be held at Cherries & Berries, Vazhuthacaud, at 4 pm on Saturday.
MNBI was set up a year ago by a group of young minds who are passionate about start-up communities. “We are running a company Xminds for the past eight years and have association with over 90 start-ups globally. In Thiruvananthapuram, we do not have much incubators to support the youngsters. That is why we decided to launch MNBI,” said Ram Govind Narayan, one of the directors of MNBI.
“To kick start activities, MNBI launched the first-of-its-kind ‘Start Up Coffee’ on October 27, 2012 in the city. These events are held every two weeks. The networking sessions have proved to be highly valuable for entrepreneurs, investors or everyone enthusiastic about the start-up community. There has been a whole lot of learning, sharing and motivation,” said Ram.
“During the last three sessions, as many as seven ideas were presented by the participants. One that needs special mention is ‘Ente City’ (www.entecity.com) which is a single window service for all the needs in a city,” Ram added.
Start Up Coffee usually begins with an introduction about the session. It will be followed by session on basic fundamentals such as finance, funding, customer development, etc. Selected people will get an opportunity to share their idea in 5 minutes, which will be followed by as Q&A session. The programme will wind up with a fun game.
What happens after the meet? “We will listen to the ideas. Our team will later validate it, and if found good, we will provide mentorship, find investors for them, introduce them to venture capital etc,” he said.
Though the major focus is on mobile and web businesses, MNBI welcomes all kinds of ideas. To register for the event log on to nextstartupcoffee.eventbrite.com or mail in your ideas to ideas@mynextbigidea.com.

Xmas items online at fair prices

2012-12-14T22:33:00.003-08:00

Too busy for Christmas shopping? Two city-based youths are here to help you with an online portal for Christmas celebrations. Anish John and Arun A S, employees of Technopark-based Breezego Solutions Private Limited, have launched www.pulkoodu.com, where customers can place orders for Christmas sets, comprising crib, clay statues, decorations etc. Doorstep delivery of the products is available in the city limits.
Anish and Arun are on a high as they are getting queries and orders within days of launching the website. Anish, who is an active member of the local church, has experience in arranging Christmas decorations. “The prices of crib and other products shocked me when I went to Chalai for purchasing them this time. The prices have skyrocketed. Then I contacted my uncle in Nagercoil and found that the prices were comparatively low there,” said Anish.
Anish, a web developer, spoke to his friend Arun about the viability of launching a website for exclusive Christmas products. Arun, an expert in online marketing, agreed to join in. Thus they created e-pulkoodu. “We bring products from Nagercoil. So they are available at lower prices,” Anish said.
The website offers a basic Christmas set for Rs 1,000 which has a portable crib, 12 pieces of clay statues, LED set, rice light serial sets, balloons, star etc. The deluxe Christmas set priced at Rs 1,300 has a Christmas tree of 4 feet height, tree decoration set etc in addition to the basic set. The ultimate Christmas set priced at Rs 1,800 has a Christmas tree of height 6 feet, decoration sets etc.
“We are also planning to introduce cakes, crackers etc in the coming days. Other than the package, individual products too are available,” Anish said. He said more demand is for the basic Christmas set. Five per cent of the amount would be donated to charity, he added. For details, call 9746182252 or log on to www.pulkoodu.com.

This tour is no virtual reality

2012-12-14T22:32:00.002-08:00

“A motorbike expedition through North India is an entirely different experience,” said an all-excited Midhun H Kumar over phone. IT professionals Midhun, Smijth B and Aneesh V K have set out on an expedition, ‘The golden sands tour - West coast to Rajasthan’, on their Royal Enfields.
Starting from Thiruvananthapuram on November 24, the trio will be back in the city on Sunday after enjoying a motorbike ride through Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa.
When Express contacted them, Midhun, Smijith and Aneesh were taking a temporary halt on the Mumbai-Goa route. “There were only 16 days, which is a bit hectic. We didn’t get much time for sightseeing,” said Midhun.
Midhun works in Technopark-based Speridian Technologies, Smijith at QBurst and Aneesh at Trivand Technologies. It was Smijith and Aneesh who suggested the idea of a North Indian tour. “It took some time to convince my mother. Finally, she agreed,” said Midhun.
‘Motorcycle diaries’, the biopic on the life and journey of Che Guevara and his friend Alberto, inspired these friends. “We are friends from our college days at Lourdes Matha Engineering College. After going on motorcycle tours across the state and to Goa, we thought of organising a pan India trip. We availed 16 days’ leave and set out on this tour,” said Midhun.
Midhun owns a Royal Enfield Thunderbird 350 cruiser, while the others Royal Enfield Classic 350s. The trio has plans to spend some time in Goa before starting home.
Covering 7,000 km in 16 days was a tedious task for the trio. “If you ask us what we saw, we don’t have much to say. There was more travelling and less sightseeing,” Midhun said. However, Midhun and his friends added that it was a totally refreshing experience.

It’s ‘babysitting’ time for zoo staff

2012-12-14T22:31:00.002-08:00

By Jisha Surya - THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

04th December 2012 10:11 AM

Authorities of the city zoo are on a high. During the last six months, the zoo has been ‘blessed’ with as many as nine baby birds and animals. In addition to these, the populations of black buck and hog deer are on the rise. The zoo has also been able to check the mortality rate of animals.

It is sort of a comeback for the city zoo, which had a tough time battling various deadly diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease, canine distemper virus attack and trypanosomiasis.

Over the past six months, the zoo witnessed the birth of an Indian bison named Arjun, two black swans, a sun conure, a blue crowned pigeon, a crested duck and a golden pheasant. Baby leopards Sarang and Sarishma are the latest in the list.

Zoo veterinarian Jacob Alexander said the number of newborns is an indicator of the health status of zoo animals. “It is the result of our constant vigil. We have been checking various parameters such as health and nutrition statuses. It is a very long process. We were able to check the mortality rates, especially that of carnivores, in the past six months,” he said.

“For birds, we took steps such as enriching the enclosure, setting up nests and other facilities,” Alexander said.

Hatching of eggs as well as raising of newborns were a tedious process for zoo officials. “The eggs of crested duck and golden pheasant were hatched in the incubator. Once they are hatched, introducing them to their group was the next big step. First, they were introduced to the female and then to the male group. The groups were shifted to a new enclosure until all were familiar with the newborns,” Alexander said.

The number of black bucks and hog deers in the zoo too are increasing.

There are more reasons for zoo officials to cheer. According to norms of the Central Zoo Authority, the zoo cannot buy new animals. Instead, it could exchange animals with another zoo. “So, increase in the number of a particular variety will be helpful as we could exchange it for new animals or birds,” Alexander said.

Social media platform to share news, views

2012-12-14T22:30:00.004-08:00

Social media is a major game changer in today’s society. Now, citizens have a new social media platform to express their news and views. Technopark-based Maxartists Technologies has launched an interactive social media platform, ‘Share the Fact’, where users can share the news that they come across in their daily lives. In order to ensure maximum participation of citizen journalists, www.sharethefact.com has several interactive features. The users can upload images and videos along with their news item.
The platform also has iPhone, Blackberry and
Android versions which allow users to upload the news using their mobile phones from the place where they witness the same.
“The platform is very user-friendly The users can upload their news from any part of the world. There are various categories such as political, economic, business etc,” said Ajin Thomas, business development manager, Maxartists.
The system provides all the necessary features required for a social media system like adding friends, inviting friends (via facebook, gmail and yahoo), creating groups, chatting... the list goes on.
“In order to avoid misuses, posts will be verified by admin before publication,” said Ajin. “Share the Fact was launched only two days ago. Enquires are pouring in,” said Ajin.
Employees of Maxartists feel that the platform would
remind the public about their responsibilities towards society and would help them fulfil their tasks in the most advanced as well as simple manner.
Maxartists started functioning in Technopark almost eight years ago. The company had hit headlines when it successfully launched a mobile ticketing system which helps users access barcode tickets directly with their mobiles as entry pass. This has been successfully implemented for games, concerts etc.

Anganwadis in Dalit-tribal belt in a neglected state: Study

2012-12-14T22:29:00.002-08:00

While the state boasts of having the lowest infant and child mortality rate, little effort is put in by the local bodies for the welfare of infants, especially in the case of those belonging to socially-backward areas.
A study conducted by Thiruvananthapuram-based NGO ‘Rights’ in the dalit-tribal-fishermen belt showed that anganwadis in these areas were in a neglected state. The study shows that 41 to 70 per cent anganwadis do not own buildings. However, a meagre amount of Rs 300 is provided by local bodies as rent. Thus, most of the anganwadis in these areas function under dangerous conditions. Eventually there is no distinction between place of study, kitchen, storeroom etc, according to the study.
85 per cent of anganwadis lack electric connection while 73 per cent do not have drinking water facility. More than 50 per cent lack toilet facilities. There is no kitchen space in 43 per cent of anganwadis and 73 per cent do not have gas connection.
These socially-backward children do not have a specific play area, toys or other study materials, according to the study.
The study was conducted in 14 panchayats across 7 districts. Of the 14 panchayats, five are in hilly areas, five in midland and four in coastal areas.
A look into the budget allocation for the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) is enough to show the neglect faced by this area.
Though the state budget increased manifold during the 11th Plan period, budget allocation for the ICDS remained at 0.06 per cent.
Meanwhile, there was a 60 per cent increase in the number of beneficiaries during 2005-11. The study shows that the budget allocation for anganwadis from plan fund of local bodies was declining. The budget allocation for anganwadis had shown a decline from 0.57 per cent in 2009-10 to 0.40 per cent in 2010-11.
Meanwhile, the budget estimate had seen a 54.03 per cent increase. Also the study finds that panchayats had no interest in allocating amounts for anganwadis from its own fund. The budget spending of last three years had no clear record of its spending on anganwadis, which itself was a proof of local bodies neglect towards it.
‘Rights’ had conducted field survey among anganwadis in Amburi, Vithura, Puthur, Sholayar, Thirunelli, Kuttichal, Kanjiramkulam, Perumkadavila, Eraviperoor, Kurichi, Poovar, Maranelloor, Alappadu and Kadalundi.

National Games: KU fails to show sporting spirit

2012-12-14T22:28:00.005-08:00

The 35th National Games are scheduled to be held in December 2013 and officials at the National Games Secretariat (NGS) are busy with the preparations. However, the University of Kerala seems to be least interested in the event.
Citing flimsy reasons, the University has not signed the contract to lease out around 37 acres of land belonging to it on the Kariavattom campus for the construction of a greenfield stadium for the Games. The concession agreement and MoU for construction were signed by NGS, Kerala University and ITNL, the concessionaire, back in April. The inauguration of construction of work was held in May.
However, the dispute over a clause in the lease agreement is keeping the Kerala University from signing it.
According to NGS, the government had agreed to the demands of University such as hike in the lease amount, reducing the contract period from 30 years to 15 years etc.
A University official said that an additional clause included in the contract was the issue. “Without prior sanction of the University, a clause allowing mortgage of land was included in the agreement. This is not acceptable to the University. Since the stadium is being developed by a private firm, such as a clause cannot be accepted. Also, we had earlier demanded 3 per cent of market value as lease amount. However, it was finally agreed at 2.5 per cent. This was approved by the Syndicate recently,” the official said.
While the University is raising the issue of ‘mortgage’, some see it as a plot to sabotage the event. But, after remaining idle for months, the government has finally decided to intervene; a high-level meeting will be held on Wednesday to discuss the issue.
The University will get a stadium on its land and the ownership will be handed over to it by end of the lease period of 15 years. The greenfield stadium of international standards will have a playing field, main stadium, club house, food courts, restaurants, commercial space, dormitory etc. It will have a seating capacity of 50,000. The indoor stadium will have basketball, badminton, volleyball, handball and table tennis courts. In addition, there will be a gym and spa facility, Olympic-size swimming pool with aquatic centre and convention centre with a capacity of 2,000.

Techies ‘programming’ their next feature film

2012-12-14T22:28:00.002-08:00

Another feature film is being planned by IT professionals from Technopark. After the release of ‘Padmavyooham’, directed by Bijoy P I of SunTech, Kiran N S and Aabid of RMESI are getting ready with a new film project. Interestingly, techies not only plan to handle the technical side, but are also gearing up to use self-made equipment for the film project.
“The film is based on a classic novel. The name of novel as well as that of the film will be disclosed later. Now, the script has been completed,” said Kiran. The film will be produced under the banner Red Ray productions and the cost will be met by a group of friends from Technopark.
“We are planning all ways to reduce the production cost. One way is by using the DSLR camera. Since it has a small size, we are tying to make related equipment. Already, we have made a steadicam with the help of YouTube videos. A jib is getting ready,” said Kiran. Here, their engineering skills seem to have helped the techies in realising their dream of budget film-making.
Their production company Red Ray productions has made a ‘casting call’ to select actors for the film and a screen test is planned within 3-5 days.
“We have got queries from several interested persons. Most of the queries are from techies aged between 20-25. However, we need people aged between 20-40,” Kiran said. Kiran said 90 per cent of those behind and in front of the cameras would be techies.
Kiran and Aabid had won the best director award in the ‘Qisa film festival 2012’ held in Technopark. Competing with 21 short film-makers in Technopark, Kiran and Aabid won the award for ‘The Appointment.’ Both are experienced in making short films and albums.
‘Qisa film festival’, organised by Technopark-based cultural organisation Prathidhwani a few months ago, was a big hit with more than 20 techie directors presenting their short films for the competition.

Engineering alumni enter filmmaking

2012-12-14T22:27:00.004-08:00

By Jisha Surya

05th November 2012 11:00 AM

‘Chapters’, the soon-to-be released Malayalam film, has 50 + 1 producers. Surprised? The film encrypts a new chapter in the life of a group of old college-mates, alumni of NSS College of Engineering, Palakkad. Campus Oaks, an entertainment firm formed by these friends, is producing the film along with Qurban Films. With its motto ‘Engineering Entertainment’, the group of engineers are all set to realise their common passion - movie.

The 1995-pass out students from various engineering departments have been in touch through mails and social networking sites. A group which was active in theatre, mime, mimicry and literary activities during their college days, used to meet once in every two years. Friends from various parts of the globe met at convenient places, be it in Dubai, Bangalore or Kerala. “Every meeting passes with lots of fun, dance and jokes. One of our friends suggested doing something creative and the discussion ended up on films,” says Dilip, employee of TCS, Kochi, and member of Campus Oaks.

Dilip says ‘Chapters’, directed by debutant Sunil Ibrahim, is a result of discussion and brainstorming spanning a period of three years. Why debutant for a new venture? “It was the novelty of the script that attracted us. During the past three years we approached several personalities in the industry to discuss our plan to produce a film. Finally, we met Sunil through a common friend. It was easy to convince as all were satisfied with the script,” Dilip says.

In order to minimise the risk of investing a huge amount, the members decided to invest minimum ` 1 lakh per person for the project. Shafeer Sait of Qurbaan Films is the other producer of the film.

‘Chapters’ was a learning experience for the team. “We used to join the set whenever we had time. We were involved in various activities of film making. Since most of the cast and crew were youngsters, we had a fun-time,” he adds. Young actors Nivin Pauly, Hemant, Gautami Nair and Riya play the lead characters in the film. Another key role is played by Sreenivasan.

More than fifteen years after their last exam, it is a nail-biting wait for another result for the team as ‘Chapters’ is all set to release by the end of November. Campus Oaks has plans to explore more vistas which include a second movie in addition to literary, art and cultural ventures.

Striking theatre owners turn villains for Bond fans

2012-12-14T22:26:00.002-08:00

By Jisha Surya

03rd November 2012 11:54 AM
Guess who is the villain of the latest James Bond movie, ‘Skyfall’? At least for 007 fans in Thiruvananthapuram, ‘he’ is the ongoing theatre strike. The much-expected release of ‘Skyfall’ scheduled for Friday has been indefinitely postponed owing to the theatre strike.

‘Skyfall’ was scheduled to be released at Sree Padmanabha, Athulya and New theatres in the city on Friday. According to the managements of these theatres, the release of the film has been postponed. “The release has been put off till the strike ends,” one of the theatre owners said.

Theatres affiliated to the Kerala Film Exhibitors’ Federation began the indefinite strike on Friday demanding an increase in service charge. More than 300 theatres in the state remained closed during the day. However, Bond fans in other parts of the state are not as disappointed. Some theatres which are not affiliated to the federation in Kochi and Kozhikode are showing ‘Skyfall’ from November 1.

Chintu, working at a software firm in the city, said that she felt let down over the postponement of the release. An ardent fan of Bond movies and Daniel Craig, Chintu was waiting for the release of the movie. “Some of my friends in the office have booked tickets for the movie. All are disappointed,” Chintu, who never misses Bond movies, said.

‘Skyfall’ comes out with much expectations as it releases during the 50th anniversary of ‘Dr No’ and the launch of the Bond film series.

Now, film buffs are anxiously waiting for the end of the theatre strike. The release of a number of Malayalam movies too has been affected. Some fan association members staged a protest in front of theatres in the city on Friday.

Techies turn ‘followers’of ‘Sandy’, US polls

2012-12-14T22:25:00.006-08:00

Technopark is keeping its eyes glued on the US. IT and BPO firms in the park are curious about the effects of two events in the US - ‘Sandy’ storm and the presidential elections.
With around 60 per cent of the companies having business connections with the US, Technopark is eager to know the devastative effects of Sandy. Policies of presidential candidates Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are the subject of serious discussions. The general feeling is that whoever wins, a change is unlikely for the Indian market. IT firms feel that the US stand towards China will turn in favour of India. “Since more than 50 per cent of the companies in Technopark have US clients, companies are obviously interested in the US elections,” said M Vasudevan, senior manager (business development).
“Last time, people were more curious about the policies of Barack Obama. But there was no action against outsourcing after he was sworn in. India being a low-cost IT destination, it is unlikely to face any threat,” said Gireesh Babu, CEO, Technopark.
Who has more supporters, Mitt Romney or Barack Obama? “There does not seem much difference in the policies of both the candidates. Both view China as an opponent. India might be considered as a strategic partner in IT,” Vasudevan added.
Meanwhile, BPO companies are curious about the policies of the next US government, especially its stand against outsourcing. Obama is too critical about outsourcing. However, companies are optimistic, terming his stand against outsourcing a ‘political stunt.’
“More than the election, what worries us is Sandy. It will have devastating effects on the US,” said Gireesh Babu. He said that he was getting messages from friends in the IT sector about power failure and other effects of the storm. IT firms are waiting for the effects of Sandy on business.

Online Malayalam literary movements neglected by Viswa Malayala Mahotsavam

2012-12-14T22:25:00.003-08:00

Viswa Malayala Mahotsavam, the state government’s much-touted event to promote the Malayalam language, is in the news again for all the wrong reasons.
When the stalwarts of Malayalam literature are getting red carpet welcome, online Malayalam literary movements have been totally neglected in the programme. Also, government’s disregard on advancement in Malayalam computing has come under sharp criticism.
Viswa Malayala Mahotsavam will be launched by President Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday.
The government’s plan to re-launch ‘Malayalatanima’, a project for script reformation, without considering the advancements in Malayalam computing is drawing flak. Malayalam online groups such as Swatantra Malayalam Computing (a developer collective working on localisation, standardisation and development of Malayalam desktop), Malayalam Wikipedia (a free and publicly editable online encyclopedia) etc, which have contributed much to the development of online Malayalam, have no space in the programme.
“For the organisers, Malayalam still exists in print form. There is no space for online Malayalam. We have not received any invitation for the programme,” said Shiju Alex, a contributor of Malayalam wikipedia.
He said that Malayalam wikipedia had more than 26,000 articles and more than 120 active users, highest in the country. Anivar Aravind, a member of Swatantra Malayalam Computing, said that the contribution of online Malayalam movements was so much that they could nullify the ‘damage’ caused by some government firms on Malayalam computing.
“Malayalam is a language which is being actively used through blogs, wikipedia , social networking websites like Facebook etc. However, there is no discussion on the current scenario before planning new projects on Malayalam computing such as script reforms,” Anivar, who began a Facebook debate on the issue, said. Anivar said that they came to know about the Viswa Malayala Mahotsavam through media.
“The programme seems to be biased,” he said. Union Minister K V Thomas will launch ‘Malayalatanima’ project of Kerala Bhasha Institute at 2.30 p.m. on November 1. The inauguration will be followed by seminar on ‘Language computing’ where M R Thampan, director, Bhasha Institute, would present the project.
Achutshankar S Nair, K Asok Kumar, V K Bhadran and Govindan would attend the seminar.

Techie ‘upgrades’ to filmmaking

2012-12-14T22:25:00.000-08:00

By Jisha Surya - THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

27th October 2012 01:50 PM

Finally, a techie has emerged out of short film experiments to list a feature film to his credit. ‘Padmavyooham’, the directorial debut of Bijoy PI, a software engineer at SunTec in Technopark, hit theatres on Friday. Interestingly, the subject of the film is Sree Padmanbha Swamy Temple and its history.

Produced by a group of employees for Technopark under the banner Megawave Productions, ‘Padmavyooham’ unravels the myths surrounding the temple, its architecture and wealth. In the city, the film is being screened at Sri Vishakh theatre at 9 am.

The controversial subject had evoked criticism from the temple authorities, who approached the High Court and secured a ban last July. “They thought that the film was about temple wealth. We arranged screening for court, temple authorities as well as Marthanda Varma of the royal palace. They were convinced with the subject and subsequently the ban was lifted this month,” said Bijoy.

Bijoy, who handled the script, said he took 4-5 years on the research for the film. “The subject is 40 per cent fiction and 60 per cent fact. It tries to explore the mythical connection between the temple and the sea,” said Bijoy.

“The film says that the architecture of the temple is specially designed to get protection from enemies,” he added.

An 18-feet idol of Sree Padmanabha Swamy, created by art director Ajayan Kattungal, is a major attraction of the film. The film was shot at Alappuzha and Attingal palace. Debutant Noby Tharian plays Aditya Varma, lead character of the film.

‘Padmavyooham’ opens with a police probe into the death of a journalist, who investigates the complex defence mechanism of the temple. Following the death, Aditya Varma, the patron of the temple, sets out on an expedition to find out the truth.

The film has seven songs composed by debutant Sanjeev Krishnan. Sunil Kaimanam did the cinematography and Safdar Marva the editing for this 90-minute film.

DHRM starts project to impart English education

2012-12-14T22:24:00.002-08:00

Years have passed. However, benefits are still enjoyed by those who know the ‘elite’ language, be it Sanskirt in the past or English in the present.
Realising the importance of English education, Dalit Human Rights Movement (DHRM) has come up with a plan to set up a parallel school to impart English education for dalit students. DHRM’s parallel education centre is expected to come up in Pathanamtitta in three years.
Dalit students will be given ‘gurukulam’ style parallel education in this school that will come up on 20 cents of land at Kumbukal in Pathanamtitta. As a preliminary step, DHRM has set up the ‘Home School’ project where volunteers of this pro-dalit group will visit homes of dailt students and impart training in English. Books were already distributed to as many as 42 pre-KG students at the inaugural function held recently in Thiruvananthapuram. Government Chief Whip P C George distributed the books at the function.
“Our aim is to impart English lessons to around 5,000 dalit families in the state by the end of this year. We have set up a team of volunteers capable of giving training to kids as well as their parents. DHRM volunteers will visit homes to give training to students,” said Vinod, a DHRM activist. “Most of the students get confused to express themselves after studying in Malayalam medium till Class X and switch over to English medium for higher education,” Vinod said.
The syllabus designed by DHRM is to familiarise students with common objects. “For example, second edition of the book will have English names of common kitchen utensils,” he said.
DHRM activists said that several volunteers, including those who have BEd and MPhil degrees, have joined the ‘Home School’ project. DHRM believes that they could groom a qualified, well-informed generation through the project.

Quarry issue: Government yet to make a move

2012-12-14T22:23:00.002-08:00

By Jisha Surya | ENS - THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

25th October 2012 10:29 AM

Two days after the state government declared that a consensus was formed in an all-party meet to dispose of waste in quarries, it is yet to take any step towards resolving the garbage crisis. Though abandoned quarries in Kalladichavila, Vellar and Kuzhivila were identified for the purpose, the government is still groping in the dark over the issue.

The Suchitwa Mission officials have not received any direction from the government regarding shifting of waste. “We have identified quarries at Kalladichavila, Vellar and Kuzhivila. A government order in this regard was issued recently. However, no decision has been taken on when or where to shift the waste,” a senior official of Suchitwa Mission said on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, public opposition is gaining momentum at Kalladichavila, where the government is planning to dump waste. Led by Kattayikonam councillor G Vinod, protestors have started distributing pamphlets to the local people. “We have begun our action against dumping waste here. Awareness campaign and distribution of pamphlets are being organised in and around Kalladichavila. We have also met several political leaders, including Opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan, to apprise them of the situation,” Vinod told Express.

The Suchitwa Mission officials are their pinning hopes on the mobile incinerator, which is expected to arrive by the end of this month. “The crisis over disposal of waste such as meat can be solved with the introduction of the mobile incinerator,” an official said. He also voiced optimism over setting up the waste treatment plant at Chalai at the earliest.

The garbage crisis has worsened with the onset of the north east monsoon this week.

The city has been getting a good rainfall for the past couple of days. The threat of the spread of communicable diseases and the contamination of ground water owing to oozing in of leachate are a cause for concern for the city residents.

Cigarette lovers 'kicked out'

2012-12-14T22:22:00.001-08:00

By Jisha Surya | ENS - THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

25th October 2012 10:33 AM

For those searching for ways to kick the butt, Technopark is the ideal location. Authorities imposed a blanket ban on smoking on the Technopark campus recently. Though a ban existed earlier too, the authorities have started enforcing it only in the past couple of weeks.

But the securitymen in Technopark have a tough time enforcing the ban. Smokers are given a warning every now and then. What worries the smokers is that there is no room for them in the 4-million square feet built-up space in Technopark. The smokers are taking refuge in nearby shops to get a puff.

Boards announcing the smoking ban and fine amount are placed everywhere. It also carries the name and mobile number of the officer to whom the case must be reported. Violators will have to pay a fine of Rs 200.

According to sources, a small fire that had broken out on Technocity campus recently had made the park authorities go in for a blanket ban on smoking on Technopark campus.

Interestingly, in spite of a ban on smoking, an outlet of the Indian Tobacco Company (ITC) is functioning at the Food Court in Technopark.

Meanwhile, smoker techies are not ready to budge that easily. Several mails are reportedly being sent to the park authorities requesting them to introduce a smoker’s corner for them.

“Even airports have space for smoking. We understand the need for a ban. But some space must be allotted for us. We have a stressful worklife and need some relaxation,” a techie said.

But, the ban is a boon for shops near the Technopark campus, where chain smokers often take refuge.

No low pressure formation in June

2012-12-14T22:21:00.002-08:00

For the first time in the past 31 years, there was no low pressure formation in the North Indian Ocean region in June, the first month of the south-west monsoon season.
According to the end of the season report by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), this year was the first occasion during the period from 1981-2012, when no low pressure area formed during June. (Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea form North Indian Ocean Region.) Development of low pressures, depressions and cyclones are crucial during the monsoon season.
South-west monsoon withdrew from the country on October 18, recording a deficient monsoon of 30 per cent in meteorological stations. The state recorded 24 per cent deficient monsoon.
“Though 10 low pressure areas were formed during the season, none intensified into a depression,” the report said. Similar situation had occurred in 2002 and 2010. Of the 10 low pressure areas formed during the season, two were in July, five in August and three in September. Five low pressure areas formed in succession during August. But no low pressure area formed during June.
During July, August and September, one low pressure area each formed over the land and the remaining low pressure areas formed over the Bay of Bengal.
A recent study by the IMD had pointed out that the number of monsoon depressions over the Arabian Sea was decreasing. This year, the Arabian Sea was devoid of low pressure formations.
Also, the North Indian Ocean was devoid of monsoon cyclones during the last five years. The last monsoon cyclone was Cyclone GONU in 2007.
Meanwhile, the IMD is yet to introspect the changing phenomenon.

Water supply: Crisis looms, despite rain

2012-12-14T22:19:00.003-08:00

The onset of the North-East monsoon has brought temporary respite to the officials of Kerala Water Authority (KWA), who were searching for ways to manage the looming drought situation in the district. The water level in Peppara dam, the main source of potable water to the city, has improved.
However, the KWA has nothing much to cheer about. It has become certain that the district is heading for a major water crisis during the summer season.
The reservoir can ensure drinking water supply for 60-65 days, said KWA officials. According to KWA Chief Engineer K P Krishna Kumar, the city will have to face the effects of a weak south-west monsoon during the summer season.
“Even if the Peppara dam overflows during this north-east monsoon season, the reservoir will not be able to support the district during summer,” he said.
The average consumption of water in the city is 200 million litres per day. Krishna Kumar said that KWA was mulling alternative options, including a plan to bring water from Neyyar dam.
However, the plan which was envisaged almost two months ago is yet to take off. The Forest Department has raised stiff opposition to the project, which requires laying of pipes through forest land at Neyyar.
Thiruvananthapuram was the one of worst-hit districts during the south-west monsoon season. However, the north-east monsoon rainfall was excess last year. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) is expecting normal rainfall during this season too. The district has been getting scattered rainfall over the past 3-4 days.
Two months ago, the KWA had submitted a proposal to impose restrictions on water supply. However, the government turned down the proposal.

NE monsoon set to arrive in state

2012-12-14T22:19:00.000-08:00

The India Meteorological Department on Wednesday predicted that North East (NE) monsoon will set in over the state within the next 48 hours.
The state received widespread heavy rainfall for the third consecutive day on Wednesday under the influence of cyclonic circulations developed over the Bay of Bengal and Lakshadweep. The state will continue to receive heavy rainfall till Sunday.
“This is a transition phase. Withdrawal of South West monsoon will coincide with the onset of NE monsoon in the state. The onset could be declared only when 51-75 per cent of rain gauge stations in coastal areas in Tamil Nadu get heavy rainfall. Though there was widespread rainfall in Tamil Nadu, coastal regions got only scattered rainfall on Wednesday. Conditions are favourable for the onset of NE monsoon within 48 hours,” said K Santhosh, IMD Director.
“The South West monsoon has started withdrawing from 15 degree north latitude. The wind pattern must change from the existing South Westerly to North Easterly. Wind speed over coastal Tamil Nadu must be 10-25 nautical miles per hour,” he said.
The NE monsoon rains will be marked by lightning and afternoon thundershowers. Heavy downpour in a short span of time is another specialty. The IMD had predicted its onset after October 18. Meanwhile, South West monsoon ended in the state on a sour note, recording a 24 per cent deficiency in rainfall.
During the NE monsoon season, from October to December, the state is expected to get 48 cm rainfall. Last year, NE monsoon was 6 per cent deficient in the state.

Blood donation catching up

2012-12-14T22:18:00.000-08:00

Blood donation is not an annual exercise conducted by some NGOs, at least for some employees in Technopark. Tejus, a blood donation forum formed by nine like-minded individuals, finds Technopark an ideal location to find blood donors.
In a slow, but steady pace, Tejus is becoming successful in bringing out regular blood donors from Technopark. Interestingly, six out of the nine founders of Tejus are techies. Through its website tejusindia.com, the organisation has come to the aid of several people during crisis situations.
Brijesh P I and Anoop K of Gemini Software Solutions, Sujil S of NeST, Ajeesh V R of Wipro, Sanjay Mohan of Magic Wand Animations, Sabari Gireesan, who is about to launch a company in Technopark, Asnov J B of RMESI, Sharon Vijay, who works in Abu Dhabi, and Ratheesh Sahadevan of VSSC are the torch-bearers of Tejus.
Though formed six years ago, Tejus was formally registered only in November last year. The activities of Tejus include arranging free transportation of interested blood donors from Technopark to RCC and Sri Chitra. During Saturdays and Sundays, the donors are fetched from their houses.
“We collect funds from our volunteers. Formed by a small group, we have around 20 volunteers now. We are conducting blood donation camps every month from November. Last week, we conducted a camp and another camp will be held on Saturday. Our aim is to conduct blood donations camps every day. Considering the potential of Technopark, I feel RCC must set up a blood bank here on the campus,” said Brijesh.
Brijesh and his team have been in touch with companies in Technopark to create awareness among employees on blood donation. “Creating a directory is a tough task these days. People, especially women, will be ready to share their details only if the venture is credible. The activities of Tejus are slowly gaining momentum. More and more companies are showing interest in Tejus,” said Brijesh.
“Since November last, we have arranged around 200 blood donations,” he said, adding that there have been innumerable donations since the inception of Tejus six years ago.

A new lease of life for Technolodges

2012-12-14T22:15:00.005-08:00

Kadakkal and Perinad, two lesser known villages in Kollam district, found a place in the IT map of the state when the previous LDF government projected Technolodges aka Rural IT Park as one of its ambitious projects in the IT policy 2007.
The then Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan launched Technolodges at the villages amidst fluttering confetti and huge fanfare in February 2010. Unfortunately, Technolodges could not even complete one year of operation.
With the Kerala State IT Infrastructure Ltd (KSITIL) as the implementing agency, Technolodges were launched to reduce operation cost of IT and BPO companies and to create employment in rural areas. The local bodies of the respective areas had to provide the infrastructure.
However, a Technopark-based BPO company, which began operations in Kadakkal and Perinad, wound up operations within eight months citing poor infrastructure and lack of skilled labourers.
The meeting convened by Kadakkal panchayat last week decided to approach the government to get back the defunct office space, which they had given on a 91-year lease. “The office space has been remaining unused for the past two years. If given for rent, we will get `50,000 per month. We are unable to pay the loan amount for the buildings. That is why we decided to approach the government,” said Kadakkal panchayat president Latha.
Girish Babu, MD of KSITIL and CEO of Technopark, said the infrastructure provided were unsuitable to set up IT/BPO companies.
“It was difficult to market such a location which lacks stable power supply, appropriate infrastructure and ambiance,” he said.
However, he said KSITIL had succeeded in marketing the space. “The board had asked us to discontinue with the project. Now we are in talks with a software firm to set up Technologes not just at Kadakkal, Perinad, but also in Veliyam and Piravom,” he said, adding that details could be divulged later.
The government had launched the scheme to provide employment to rural youth, taking IT to small towns and to making use of unutilised government buildings.
Rural IT parks were planned in all districts except Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam.

Live worms issue: Crucial circular kept in cold storage

2012-12-14T22:15:00.000-08:00

By Jisha Surya, ENS - THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

12th October 2012 12:31 PM

Following the controversial ‘shawarma’ incident, the Office of Commissioner of Food Safety had issued a circular on August 10 which laid down a set of rules for agencies which supply chicken and beef to non-vegetarian restaurants, hotels and canteens in the state. However, the recent KFC incident has proved that none of the conditions in the circular are being followed.

The Coimbatore-based broiler supplier Suguna Chicken supplies chicken to KFC. According to the circular, the agencies which supply chicken/ beef to restaurants must submit evidence that products are transported in refrigerated and clean vehicles. The evidence must be submitted 15 days before taking licence.

The agencies were asked to register before September 15. However, Suguna Chicken has not followed these norms.

When contacted, D Sivakumar, Designated Officer, Food Safety Department, said Suguna Chicken holds the licence under the Food Control Act of the Union Ministry of Agriculture. When asked about the circular, he said that the current licence of Suguna was enough.

The circular also states that the special squad formed by the Food Safety Commissioner would conduct surprise checks of vehicles which distribute meat items. The circular states that inspection would begin after September 6. However, Food Safety officials admitted that no such checking has been held so far.

Customers had found a live worm in a chicken dish served by the KFC outlet in the city recently. The chicken was to be stored at a temperature of -18 degrees Celsius. The presence of live worms has raised doubts on the transportation and storage of chicken in the KFC outlet.

According to the circular, the District Food Safety Office must have details such as the name of the business operator, address, vehicle number, phone number and registration number. The circular was issued by Food Safety Commissioner Biju Prabhakar.

If found guilty during checking, the Food Safety Authority can slap a closure notice under Section 30 of the Food Safety and Standards Act.

Techies concerned over lax security

2012-12-14T22:13:00.004-08:00

I am sure I could pass through the main gate of Technopark just by flashing my daughter’s school ID card. There are more than 30,000 employees and checking each and every ID card is not practical,” said Prakash Janardhanan, an employee at Technopark.
Techies feel that they are insecure, especially after the recent incident of a goon attack on Technopark campus. A witness of the ‘Aprani’ Krishnakumar murder case was brutally attacked by a group of goons in front of the TCS building recently. They feel Technopark is the most vulnerable place for a terrorist attack in the city.
Prakash said that the goon attack was just one of several such incidents. “Every cultural event in Technopark will end up in a scuffle and mostly outsiders are involved in such incidents,” he said.
Earlier, vehicles carrying a specific sticker only were allowed to ply inside Technopark. “Now it is either a sticker or an ID card. And anyone can accompany the ID card holder in his vehicle,” said Prakash.
Sajeer, an employee of Allianz Cornhill, alleged that there was a nexus between the securitymen and the local people. “Locals create problems during events such as Tech-a-break. But securitymen usually never take any action against them,” he said. He added that more surveillance cameras were needed on the campus.
Meanwhile, the move of the Technopark authorities to install a video surveillance system and set up barbed wires along the boundaries of the park is yet to materialise. “Contracts were awarded to install barbed wires on boundaries. We already have video surveillance systems near the main and rear gates and in buildings,” said M Vasudevan, Senior Manager (Business Development), at Technopark.
In addition to porous boundaries, plying of buses inside the campus too makes it vulnerable. Techies demand a common tag for techies in Technopark so that they could be identified. They alleged that the mock drill conducted at Technopark last time was a failure.
(This weekly column every Thursday brings out the happenings in Technopark ).

Greenfield Tourism Highway project all set for a fresh start

2012-12-14T22:13:00.001-08:00

By Jisha Surya - THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

10th October 2012 12:32 PM

Almost 10 years after a feasibility study, the Greenfield Tourist Highway project between Kottayam and Cherthala is all set for a fresh start.

The Kerala Road Fund Board will finalise the consultants to prepare the detail project report soon.

The project, which aims at the development of tourism in Kuttanad and Kumarakom, will require large-scale reclamation of paddy fields.

As part of tourism development, some stretches of the proposed route will have space reserved for resorts and other commercial establishments.

According to the NATPAC report submitted 10 years ago, the proposed route for the project is Kodimatha - Kavanar- Thaneermukkom Bund - Cherthala.

The 14.5 km stretch from Kodimatha to Kavanar will bypass the busy Kottayam town and will pass through paddy fields, coconut lagoons and small streams besides crossing National Waterway 3.

The existing road will be upgraded for Kavanar - Thaneermukkom Bund road. From the Bund Junction, a new alignment is proposed through the paddy fields, which will join Cherthala.

KRFB Chief Operating Officer Harikesh said the consultants for preparing the DPR will be finalised in two days.

“The proposed highway will give boost to the tourism prospects of Kuttanad and Kumarakom.

“To make project economically viable, part of the stretch will be used to set up commercial firms,” he said.

It will be a Public Private Partnership (PPP) project under Design, Built, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBOFT) mode.

The project, connecting National Highway 47 and State Highway 1, was introduced during the A K Antony Ministry in 2001. It got a go-ahead this time with the intervention of Finance Minister K M Mani reportedly.

The feasibility study in 2002 has estimated a `187 crore for the project, excluding land acquisition. The existing road connecting Cherthala and Kottayam is in bad condition and some stretches get flooded during monsoon.